Defenders of Wildlife Board of Directors Chair Vic Sher announced today that Rodger Schlickeisen is retiring as president and CEO of the organization effective October 1, 2011, and that Jamie Rappaport Clark, current executive vice president, will be his successor. This transition will also apply to the affiliated Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund.

With the breeding season still underway, 2010 is already a record-breaking year for rare sea turtles and waterbirds that nest on beaches at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, according to preliminary numbers from the National Park Service.